Love Unprejudiced
by HavocDistraction
Summary: Slash fic Diego/OC. The story of a saber-tooth tiger that must now return to the pack that had once thrown him away due to his homosexuality. He must brave his past in order to move on, but he's not alone with Diego helping him all the way. Sequel to "Life Unprejudiced". Warning: Contains explicit content.
1. Au Revoir

_A/n: Hey guys! I'm back! Hopefully, you'll enjoy this story as much as you did in the first one, or maybe even more :3_

_Love Unprejudiced_

* * *

The sunrise beamed a fervent light into his eyes, and the saber-tooth tiger that slept right next to one of a larger build woke up into the bright new day. He got up, stretched, and yawned to see the rest of his family still sleeping soundly.

A pair of twin possums dangling on a tree branch; a green tree sloth affixed into a strange sleeping position; three mammoths huddled up together with the baby mammoth snoring soundly in between her mommy and daddy. The saber-tooth smiled, happily. Yup, there was no denying that he could never ask for another family. He made his way silently out of their cozy little village, without knowing the sleeping saber beside him was awake and had seen him walk away.

A morning walk was what Dylan needed right now. Snow crunching delightfully under his delicate paws, the saber-tooth tiger couldn't agree more that snow was one of the greatest things that had ever existed, next to love. It had been more than a year since he'd met Diego, and everything still seemed incredibly surreal. He stopped on a certain spot for a while, tapping his toes on the soft snow, breathing in the cold wintry air as he had tried to take in the reality of it all.

"Morning , hon," a voice uttered from behind him. Speaking of the devil, it was Diego, his one and only mate, the only person who would ever hold his paw when the world starts to fall apart. "A bit too early for a walk, isn' it?"

"I find it relaxing actually," Dylan said as he walked towards Diego and rubbed each other's muzzle before the tickle of Dylan's tongue brushed up against Diego's fur as he licked him. "I didn't want to wake you up. You look so cute when you're asleep"

"Well then maybe you could've stayed a bit longer, watching me sleep" Diego replied with a small grin.

"Oh, I was afraid I might do something obscene in front of everyone and wake them up" Dylan said.

"You know, sometimes feel like you're trying to get away from me," Diego said, "Like you're seeing someone else."

"You're worried that I'm cheating on you?" Dylan said, breaking away from their contact.

"I'm worried someone else might take you away from me," Diego grinned even wider.

"Really think there is a lot of other _gay_ sabers out there?" replied Dylan. "Let alone actual sabers"

"That's a possibility I won't risk taking," Diego said before licking Dylan on the muzzle. Dylan returned a lick back before Diego pushed him towards the cold soft ground. A daily ritual they'd seem to do every almost every day.

Their licking and kissing was interrupted by a disturbance from shaking leaves in the nearby bushes which stopped them doing anything else potentially erotic. "Dylan?" a familiar voice uttered in the quaint peaceful dawn.

Dylan easily recognized who the voice was immediately upon hearing it. "Huh... Adam?" he said in disbelief as the actual saberappeared from the shadows.

"Wow," his older brother said with his eyes wide open as he saw Diego lying on top of Dylan. "I don't suppose you guys are playing again like last time, are you?"

Dylan immediately got up as soon as Diego got off him, hastily getting back on his feet. "Wha-what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I came to see you. Glad your still here to be honest," Adam answered, "It's… been a really long time we've actually spoken to each other."

"You know exactly the reason why," Dylan answered. An almost-forgotten anger stirred up within him again, remembering the time he was kicked out of the pack.

Adam was about to say something before Diego said something first. "I don't believe we've introduced ourselves properly," Diego said. "My name is Diego, Dylan's mate." The last two words he proudly mentioned got Dylan smiling.

"Wow, you've gotten quite a lot closer to him," Adam said. "I'm happy for you"

"Did you really just come here to check up on me?" asked Dylan. "Or did the pack _leader_ sent you."

"None of them know where you are. I haven't told anyone," he answered, calming him down, "And speaking of _pack leader_, that's what I came to talk to you about."

The way Adam delivered his answer suddenly overwhelmed Dylan with a cold fear. The tone in his voice seemed to have a message in itself. His welled-up anger was suddenly replaced by a feeling of anguish and distress. He tried to keep his careless facade. "What about him?"

"You're looking at him," Adam said half proudly yet half saddened. His brown eyes began to shine sadness in the sudden morning light.

"What happened to – is dad alright?" asked Dylan. He hasn't used the word 'dad' for a long time, and actually referring to his actual father was even longer.

"He's... ill. The elders told me that... his time is running out, and it was best if I would take already take his place," Adam explained, "It's not official yet, in fact they might be looking for me right now, but I thought that I should tell you. After all, you still are family."

Although he had hated his father ever since he became an outcast, he still loved him as the father that raised him throughout all the years of his childhood. Being raised without a mother after all was the hardest thing for him and Adam. Although growing up with a pack made things easier, the difference he had within himself made all the difference in the end.

"Dad can't move as much as wants to anymore. He usually sleeps most of the time, saying goodbye to anyone who would visit him as if one night he would never see them again. It's terrifying to think even about it," Adam explained. "I want you to be there, before his _sending_. He won't last much any longer, and I thought it would mean a lot if you see him at least one last time."

Dylan stood silently, thinking about it. The sudden encounter of his older brother bringing grave news shocked him. He looked Diego's hazel eyes to search for guidance, but saw that he was almost as clueless as he was. Should he go back? Leave the herd for a day and come back the next? What about Diego? Would he leave him or bring him along? What would the other pack members think if they saw him again? Would they actually welcome him back with open arms? These questions echoed endlessly in his mind.

"I-I… uh…" Dylan right now was speechless. He couldn't really decide at all.

"If you don't want to, I understand. It just… that I would mean the world to me if you'd be there," said Adam. "I may have been reluctant about it at first, but I don't care if you're gay, or if everyone else hated you for being gay. You are still my little brother, and I want you back. Since I became pack leader, I was actually thinking of bringing back into the pack."

Dylan stood silently in front of him. He could go back to the pack he once lived with. Although hard to admit, he did want to go back. All the times he spent there, all the precious childhood memories he had. But now he had something he didn't want to lose. A herd. Diego. Especially Diego.

"Woah woah, wait a minute," said Diego, cutting into the conversation. "You mean to tell me that you went all this way just so you could take my Dylan away?" Dylan and Adam were taken aback by the awkwardness of what he had said, but remained silent as he continued. "Sorry, but I'm not giving him up so easily" he said as he walked towards Dylan and stood closely beside him.

Dylan blushed. He'd never expected Diego to say that. Nor did he expect anyone to say that about him. "You could come along with him if you want to. I'm sure the pack would welcome you as well" Adam said. Dylan could see his brother a bit flustered from what Diego said.

"Oh really? Think you could bring our _herd_ along?" Diego grinned. Dylan could now see Adam annoyed, and right now he wanted to laugh.

"Well, whatever you decide," said Adam boldly. "I just hope you could come dad's _sending_. I'll be waiting for you."

Adam left through the snowy white darkness of the forest without another word. Dylan and Diego looked and smiled at each other. Though he still hasn't made up his mind, he was happy Diego had come in and talk for him. But knowingly, he wouldn't be doing that all the time for him.

"You okay?" asked Diego, seeing the frown Dylan had built from the conversation with his brother. He hasn't really changed, which made it even more nostalgic to see him again.

"I'm fine. Thanks for cutting in," said Dylan, licking Diego tenderly.

"No prob'," Diego said. "Come on, let's head back to the herd. They might want to hear about this."

Dylan nodded. It had been a while since anything major happened to him. It was as if he was lost in an oasis of a paradise that soon faded out to be a mirage in a desert. On a journey, you would always stop at an oasis. But in the end, you'll have to leave and continue on. Just like life.

* * *

"And now he wants you back?" asked Manny, intrigued by the story as they had retold exactly what had happened a few minutes ago. By the time they got back, they were already up and awake.

"What exactly is this _sending_?" Crash asked .

"It's like a special funeral we saber-tooths have," answered Diego. "We had it too, when humans took half our pack before."

"We believe that every saber in the pack should be honored when they die, so that they would watch over us when they reach the stars," Dylan explained further.

"That's some tradition," Sid mentioned. "Us sloths ever do is give them a burial, and to honor them eat more than we usually do."

"Which is... how much _more_ than you _already_ eat?" Crash contemplated.

"Ugh… I did not need that mental imagery" said Eddie as thought about Sid put into a state of being even more bloated than he usually is.

"Aaaaanyways," said Ellie as she tried to get back to the main topic. "What are you going to do?"

Dylan gave one last thought about it before making his final decision. Although doubtful, it seemed like loose end he had to cut off. "I'm going back."

"Then we'll come with you," said Ellie before Dylan quickly gave a reply.

"About that... actually, I think I should go alone," he replied.

"What?" the herd shouted in unison.

"We're not stopping you from what you're gonna decide Dylan, but please, at least let us be with you. We're your family," Manny reasoned.

"It's safer if you didn't come with me. There a lot of other tigers there, and I don't want any of you to get hurt for my sake," said Dylan.

"Then I'll be coming with you" said Diego boldly. "It won't be a problem if its _another_ tiger, would it?"

Dylan quickly replied. "Wait! But- Diego… I-"

"You're my mate. And I don't care what they'll think of us," said Diego before caressing the gentle touch of Dylan's muzzle. He knew just what Dylan would probably react by. "And I'll be fine. After all, I don't look like a potential meal at all don't I?"

"Well, then that settles it then," Manny concluded. "Well leave it to you then Diego."

"When do you guys leave?" asked Sid.

"Tomorrow morning, but still, Diego, are you sure you're okay with that?" asked Dylan. "I mean, I don't want you to get into any trouble and-"

"It's not trouble at all," Diego said "And besides, you are worth any trouble getting into." Dylan smiled happily. How lucky he was he would sometimes forget. He had the best mate in the world, and he couldn't ask for anything else.

"I love you so much, you know that?" said Dylan, muzzling Diego as non-erotic as possible in front of the herd.

"And I love you too," said Diego.

"Oh get a room you two" wooed Crash.

With Diego coming with him, Dylan felt more relieved, in fact, safer. But things don't usually work out as planned. Roads are never built entirely straight.


	2. New Nostalgia

T'was the night before the morning he'd leave for home. _Home_ didn't seem to be the right word for Dylan anymore, but what else could he call it? A home was a place where you belong, and right now that wasn't where he was most welcome. Home was where he was right now, in the herd, right next to Diego who was sleeping on his side soundly with his arm wrapped around his waist.

Dylan couldn't sleep. The questions on his mind bounced back and forth leaving him in a pendulum of worries and fears. Dylan slowly lifted Diego's paw off of him, as to not wake him up. He got up as silently as he could and stole through the forest undetected. A walk was always what he needed. It felt like his legs wanted to pace back and forth repeatedly and his response was to take a little stretch.

The saber-tooth tiger always felt comfort under the frigid delicate snow. Dylan ruminated deeply, thinking if he really made the right decision. He could always go back and stay permanently with Diego, he wouldn't mind as long as it was Diego he was with. And with his brother taking care of him, things might work out fine. But… what would Diego do? This herd means a lot to him, and he wasn't sure if Diego wouldn't be as reluctant as to agreeing to that proposition. He had to be sensitive to what Diego wanted. He could never count on him to always go with whatever he wants. He was a still different person just like he was, and doing so would make him just like the rest of the world who wants people to stay normal. He could never be so selfish. But he still wanted to feel _normal_. He didn't know why exactly, but being a part of something small still felt the same way of being a part of something huge. And he can't pick to stay at both ends.

Ultimately, he has the make the decision whether he liked it or not, and delaying to choice might even make things worse.

Dylan knocked his head on a tree in his lamenting. What was he so worried about? Of course he wants to stay with the herd. Of course he wants to stay with Diego. Why would he ever go back there in the first place? And who knows, his brother might even end up the same way as his almost-late father did and throw him again. Why ever be a part of something you don't belong.

But his brother made all the difference. He loved his brother dearly, and it would pain him to never seem him again. He was still the older brother that beat up the other kids that bullied him, the same brother who stood with him in that meteor shower, and the same brother who helped every time he tripped.

And then there was Diego. His mate. The only other tiger he could ever be with. The tiger that took him in although reluctant at first, the same tiger he spent each and every one of the most special moments he ever had with, the same tiger that would hold his paw and never let go whenever he gets scared, the same tiger that would love him the way he did. Was he together with Diego just because he was the only gay tiger? No, he was together with him because he wanted to. Because he loved him for who he was, and Diego loved him he same way.

He knew, because while he thought about it, the same tiger jumped on him out of nowhere. Diego restrained him to the ground, Dylan met his gaze, startled by the sudden event.

"Trying to get away from me again?" Diego grinned.

"Doesn't look like I'm seeing someone else am I?" asked Dylan.

"Are you?" he said, "I don't buy the whole 'just taking a walk' thing right now"

Dylan sighed, before pushing Diego to get back up. "Just… kind of nervous… I guess. It's been almost two years since I've been gone, and going back seems like suicide"

"But you still want to go through with it, don't you?" asked Diego as Dylan clambered on his feet.

"I do," Dylan answered, "But I'm scared"

"Hey now, don't forget" said Diego, placing his paw on top of his, "I'll always be by your side, wherever you go."

Dylan smiled, reassured and a bit more confident about everything. Dylan nuzzled Diego.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

"Definitely" Dylan replied.

Maybe walking in solitude wasn't the best idea. Things always went better when there was someone along. As the two began to walk back to the herd, Diego suddenly hopped towards Dylan, pushing him to the ground and pinning him down.

"You know, the herd probably doesn't know we're gone," Diego whispered as the two tigers gazed each other's eyes. "So, let me try getting you even less nervous" Dylan was about to say something else when Diego suddenly plunged his lips towards him with a kiss. Why would he ever want more, when this was already everything he could ever need?

"You never cease to surprise me" Dylan complimented.

"I _never_ cease to surprise you" Diego said while Dylan made a little chuckle before kissing him back. The two tasted each other's lips tenderly. Their soft fur touching each other's, rubbing in a hot yet gentle caress. Dylan enjoyed the contact as much as Diego did. He could tell from his erection throbbing hard against his. The touch of his hard appendage got him all the more excited. Diego pushed his tongue into his mouth, wrapping it around his in a pleasurable sensation. Although they had long large canines, it wasn't hard to do it at all. Not one bit.

Dylan enjoyed the taste of Diego's tongue rolling around his. He actually wished it could go deeper. He rolled his tongue around with his, and they both began to make muffled sounds of delight. Wrapping and rolling them continuously around aroused them even more. Whenever Diego would pull back, Dylan would push forward not wanting the kiss to end. Diego would of course simply push his tongue back in, but the time finally came when Diego had to pull back entirely, leaving a string of saliva dangling from each other's mouth.

"Hmm, doesn't look like you don't want to do this" Diego smirked, eyeing down the appendage of his mate.

"Whoever said I didn't like doing this?" Dylan said.

"For starters, you never seem to jump on me at all, and it's always been me who has to make the first move" Diego explained.

"That's because I can never catch you off guard," Dylan replied. "And you're _always_ jumping on me"

"Well… that's true" Diego said.

"And most of all, you're always so eager about it. Don't you get conscious about all the sounds we make and stuff? Things that other animals can hear?" Dylan continued.

"Let's see who makes all those sounds in the first place" said Diego before licking the length of Dylan's pink appendage. Dylan moaned almost loudly from the sudden onset of pleasure, holding back a second after he had already done it.

"W-wha –uhnnn – what are you doing?" muttered Dylan as Diego continued to fondle with his member. He playfully licked the tip the most, as it made Dylan quiver the most. Dylan was lying as straight as possible on his back, his hind legs left hanging in the air. Diego licked it numerously as his own erection was throbbing hard. This was the first time Diego ever did something like this, and to be honest, even after becoming Dylan's mate, he'd never expected doing this at all.

And only a few moments he had started, Dylan's body began to spasm. One last lick finally did the trick as an eruption of ecstasy flushed out, causing him to moan in the flash of the moment. His juice spewed all over his belly.

"H-hey… not –unf– fair," Dylan grunted, taking half-breaths as he spoke.

"Well that was fun wasn't it?" said Diego as he licked bits of his hot seed from his fur.

"I… guess…" Dylan admitted.

"Well, don't worry, the night isn't over yet," Diego grinned.

Under the basking moonlight, surrounded by the shadows of trees, nothing that can disturb them, the two made love one more time before the day arrived.

* * *

"Well, in any case, take care of yourselves," said Manny to the two tigers in the early morn.

"We will," Diego replied.

"Be back as soon as possible" said Sid.

"We'll really miss you," said Peaches.

"Hope you two suddenly take side trips on the way there," said Eddie as Crash made 'kissing' sounds with his lips.

"Maybe one or two?" Diego joked.

"NO side trips," Dylan replied.

"Awww," Diego said disappointingly.

"Don't worry," said Dylan. "It'll take maybe two to three days to get there. So in the mean time at night, we could..."

"Okay!" Ellie interrupted. "I think you two love bugs should get going now."

Diego and Dylan looked at each other. "Yeah, we should probably start heading out" Diego said. The two began to walk in the opposite direction before Dylan tumbled from his first few steps. Diego managed to catch him with his hip while they walked side-by-side. "You okay?" he asked.

"Just… a bit winded out from last night," Dylan answered.

"We never really did get that much rest last night, didn't we?" Diego said.

"And I have a good guess we might not be able to for the next few," Dylan replied as the two raised a grin, knowing what exactly he had in mind.

The two finally picked up the pace and started traveling. The herd a few miles behind them. The snow crunching delicately as Dylan always enjoyed, and enjoyed it all the more with Diego beside him. He remembered it like this almost two years ago, only back then he used to walk alone.

Back then…

To be honest, Dylan wondered how far he got here. From a pack outcast to the mate of tiger who lived with a herd. He reminisced all the years he had lived throughout his life in the pack. Old 'friends' he would encounter once again. A few more uncles and aunts. He even wondered if his brother had finally gotten along with that girl he always talked about. Dylan could remember exactly how he defined her eyes as they sparkled by moonlight, dazzling him as he was lost in her gaze. Dylan could finally tell that what his brother felt was love, knowing the experience nearly enough to know.

What more had that came to mind for him was how exactly it ended up this. How did ever become gay? It seems as though he had already had that 'sensational' feeling every time he saw a guy. It never was the same when it came to girls. He could vaguely remember awkward conversations of his brother encouraging him to talk to that cute girl they saw by the trees, acting like his wingman only to realize that he was never interested in girls.

"You okay?" asked Diego, who seemed to have noticed Dylan spacing out in thin air.

"Oh, y-yeah I'm fine," Dylan replied.

Aaaah… and how nostalgic for him to be over thinking about things once again.

* * *

_A/N: Update! Please review!_ _Yeah, there's somewhat like a sex scene here, but I really meant it just to enhance the story, not to focus on the sex itself. :3 And this sequel is sort of explaining like how Dylan got from then to where he was at the beginning of the first story, and is trying to emphasize the relationship of Dylan and his brother, Adam, which is good as I reread the first story and there seemed to be a lot of holes that I needed to fill. Though I never really sorted this all out before I started writing it_


	3. Some Sort of Treat

_A/n: Update! And happy holidays everyone!

* * *

_

"Ugh… I'm bushed," Dylan clamored. His belly resting flat on top of the clear snowless ground, stretching his paws out as possible.

"I guess we could rest here," Diego said, looking up to see the sky covered with a blanket of darkness, tiny holes peering out of its fabric.

Dylan affixed himself to nearby rock. They had been traveling for two days straight, and as the familiarity of the scenery grew larger, Dylan knew they'd reach the pack by daybreak. Now that he was this close towards his family, he felt even more nervous he had before.

"You go on ahead and rest," said Diego. "I'll go scout around the place first, and if possible, bring a meal or two" Dylan nodded as his mate made his way out of the clearing. This brought Dylan to focus more on his thoughts. As much as he hated over thinking, he had to admit it was clearly helpful for him.

He thought about what he'd expect from what his father would say to him when he confronts him. He thought it probably be something like "You were nothing but a disappointment" or "You could never be what your brother is". Dylan hated the thought. He suddenly had second thoughts about visiting his father. But as much as he never felt the closeness of his father to him, due to either pack leader duties or he was spoiling his older brother, he still loved him. Even after all he had been through, he could never live in hate and bitterness.

Then thoughts of his mother came in. He could still remember her blue eyes shining as she looked at him. She didn't favor any of them two. She loved them both equally, and that Dylan knew completely as he had loved her back as much as she loved him. Up till now, he could never fully understand how she died. If she was alive, would it have been possible for him to stay at the pack? He pondered about this. Perhaps his mother could have persuaded his father into what he really was. Or maybe even his mother would've casted him out immediately upon hearing it.

Dylan almost cried at the thought. Would it have been possible for someone so close to you would throw you out just because of something they didn't approve of? Maybe not, after all, he found Diego, and they had only met for a few weeks before they became mates, and then there was his brother, who may have took time, but Adam accepted him nonetheless.

The saber-tooth could never stop wishing his mother was alive. He looked up, gazed at the sky, and remembered the first time he mentioned this to Diego. How vivid the images replayed in his mind. All the anxieties he once had and hidden. Now he was worried about what the pack still thought of him. What if they hated him for what he was? Would they immediately attack him on sight? Would they do something potentially fatal as that? He was suddenly worried if Diego might get hurt in the process. He didn't want that.

"Dinner is served," approached Diego as he had in his fangs a rabbit carcass. He dropped it down in front of Dylan, the scent of flesh and blood made him salivate. Dylan was about to bite in when he realized he was the only one eating.

"Did you catch something for yourself already?" Dylan asked.

"Nah, don't worry about me. There wasn't much I could find, so I thought I'd give it to you," Diego said.

"Diego…" Dylan grumbled. He was at it again. He didn't want Diego to sacrifice almost everything just for him. He immediately pushed the rabbit away, directing towards Diego. "I don't want it"

"But I want you to have it," Diego replied. "It's no big deal, really"

"I don't want you to spoil me," Dylan rejected, still not touching the rabbit meat Diego caught.

"I'm not spoiling you," Diego conjectured. "I'm doing this because I love you"

"I'm not hungry," Dylan said before a large growl echoed in his stomach.

"Uh huh," Diego mumbled, clearly hearing what Dylan's stomach had to say. "You most certainly are"

"Look, I just don't want you doing this for me all the time," Dylan blurted out. "I don't want you having to get into so much trouble just for me"

"I thought we already talked about this," Diego replied, his tone becoming a bit more serious. "I already told you, I don't mind."

"But I do," Dylan said, "It feels so wrong. I feel so guilty that you do all this just for me."

"Don't be," Diego said, "There's nothing to be guilty about"

Dylan felt a hole in his throat, where the words came out unheard instead. But he managed to say what he wanted to either way. "But I feel like I'm forcing you to do all these things," he replied. "You always do so much for me, and I can hardly give back anything for you…"

Diego sat next to him and placed his head over his. The warmth of Diego's fur relaxed him, and he felt like burrowing himself towards him even further. "To be honest, I feel like I'm forcing you"

"Wha?" Dylan muttered.

"I mean, we go about... _sex_ all the time, and I feel like I'm pushing you to do all these things with me," Diego said.

"N-no! You're not," Dylan blushed. "I don't really mind – I mean – I… I actually want to do it with you."

Diego chuckled. "You never forced me to do anything," he said, "You didn't force me to love you in the first place. It's myself who's to blame for that. I fell for you because I let myself. All the things about being gay didn't cross my mind. All I wanted then was chase after you and bring you back." Diego kissed his mate's forehead. "And that's all I still want to do. To be with you"

Dylan felt like crying. How stupid of him to not think of what his mate was thinking all this time. He was selfish of his own thoughts, and right now he had realized all Diego tried to do was what he wanted to all along.

As sweet as their moment was, when something growled below Diego, Dylan couldn't help but utter a slight chuckle.

"Maybe we could share that rabbit," Dylan smiled.

"Yeah, maybe we could," Diego smiled back.

* * *

Daybreak had arrived, and so had the couple at the village where the Dylan's old pack resided. Nostalgia filled his eyes as he saw all too familiar faces. Nothing much had changed. To be honest, there was hardly anything that changed.

A few cubs ran along them. One in particular, had scars all over his body. Two scars crossed on the left of his body, a large scar across his right, and one that had blinded his left eye. Dylan remembered him. He was Fitch, a cub who lost his parents from a raid made by the humans. He helped him escape from that plight, but now he wasn't sure if the cub was as thankful as he was two years ago, before he had told everyone about himself. While he watched him playing with the other cubs, Dylan was at least happy for him that he turned out all right. But it wasn't long before Fitch had caught his eye.

"Hey guys, look!" Fitch shouted. "It's Dylan! He's back!"

"Dylan Dylan!" the cubs repeated as they crowded around him.

"Did you find anything cool?" one said.

"Did you bring us presents?" said another one.

"Who's this guy?" another asked as he pointed at Diego.

"Uhhh- he's-"

"I can tell you got along well with these kids," Diego cooed, "How very cute"

Fitch jumped on top of Dylan, leaping from a rock on the ground. "It's been so long!" he said as he dangled on top of him. "How are you?"

Dylan was about to make a reply when suddenly he heard a few tigers calling on the other cubs to come back. He met his eyes with a few of them, and they all had this sort of look like he was dangerous. Dylan knew what it meant, and he averted his eyes from their glares. Diego watched as the cubs ran back towards their parents and hastily brought their children away from them. Fitch watched as his playmates started running back home, and slumped down from on top of Dylan.

"Guess I'm still not as welcome as before," Dylan muttered.

Fitch looked at him before glancing at the sabers going away. "I don't get it," the little cub said. "Why do they look like they're avoiding you?"

Dylan wasn't sure if he could give him the answer. It was because he was gay. It was because he was dangerous, right? That he might turn them all gay and make their children homosexuals. It wasn't true. They all didn't know the truth; they all just thought it was best to have things normal. But as far as Dylan felt, he still felt normal. There was nothing wrong with being gay. It was the rest of the world that made it a problem, not him.

"Come on," Diego said taking the lead as he started walking. "Let's go meet your brother"

The village was at some sort of quarry. There was a cave for each family, and there was lot more vacant. They didn't what had made this, but they all just went along with 'natural occurrence' and found it safe and homey just the same. The pack had lived here for generations, and there was no doubt they'd be staying here even longer. Dylan thought about the phrase, and wondered if people could find him the same normal person. Fitch was one, but he was too innocent to know either way. The only other person who could find him as the same normal person would be his brother.

They made their way to the main cave located at the center of it all. The village was like a large bowl of rock, curving around the sides that had formed the spot for caves. As they passed through a few sabers, Dylan tried to avert his eyes from looking at their stares. They stared silently. They didn't seem to be angry at him, so at least Dylan could relax from any potential raids.

The large cave in the middle was where the pack alpha stayed. The cave was a few inches above the ground, making it look even more suitable as the home of the pack alpha.

Fitch started running off inside. In excitement, he couldn't wait a second longer from shouting that Dylan was here. As the two saber-tooths made their way inside, Dylan caught Adam's look and his brother's welcoming smile.

"You made it," Adam said.

"Yeah… I guess," Dylan replied."…Where's dad?"

"He's with the elders. Spending some time with some old friends before saying goodbye, I guess," Adam said. "We could meet him by sunset, but for now why won't rest here? I bet it was a tiresome journey. Hey, in fact I know, I've been there"

Dylan chuckled, but he didn't really feel like resting, nor did he feel like leaving the cave just yet. He remembered every corner of the since childhood, and his old sleeping spot looked as if it was being occupied recently.

"I took Fitch in since you left," said Adam. "He didn't have anyone to talk to every day and night since most of the kids had to go home, so I thought I'd let him sleep here every once in a while."

"You don't mind, do you?" Fitch asked. Dylan remembered keeping the cub company every once in a while. He wondered if he still cried in the middle of the night ever since that fateful day that had caused him all those scars. Scars that weren't visible inside.

"Of course not!" Dylan said as he noogied the little cub. "Actually, I'm glad you're okay."

"Hey, Dylan," said Adam. "I'd like to catch up with your mate here, so how about you go around for a while?"

Dylan looked towards Diego, who simply nodded in reply. "I guess that's okay." Fitch went along with Dylan as he started to roam around the village. It had been so long, and he was curious as to what some familiar faces thought about him. It might get him hurt, but he wanted to know either way.


	4. Nearly Letting Go Of Anxiety

_A/N Been a while yeah, but I'll try to keep updating :P_

* * *

Dylan was afraid inside. Looking around the all unsophisticated scenery, it filled him with that strange feel of nostalgia. The times when he watched other males secretly, and wondered why it aroused him so. The times when he used to play with old peers that now try avoid him. Now everything made sense, why everything had changed so suddenly for him. It was because everyone else wasn't used to people like him.

He looked at the scar-clad cub walking in front of him. He remembered the time when he saved him. There was a human raid on their pack once, and though a few were so unlucky, Fitch managed to survive. He was trying to fight away the humans cornering him, which put him through so much pain that the scars showed as proof. But what would've hurt the most was scar left inside him, where the memories of his past father and mother lingered within. Dylan felt sorry for him. He contemplated how he could still stand strongly though after what he had been through. But just like him, he did stand tall after the ordeals he had been through, and all he had to do was to keep standing tall.

"Ummm… Dylan?" he heard in front of him, snapping him out of a subconscious trance.

"What is it Fitch?" he replied.

Fitch stopped walking and faced towards him. "Why did you leave?" he asked.

Dylan cringed at the thought. He knew the answer all too well, and he didn't know if telling Fitch the truth was right thing to do. He was too innocent; things like these were too big for him to fully understand yet. "Fitch… sometimes… a bird just has to leave its nest," he lied.

"I don't get it," Fitch replied.

"Err… take it like this," Dylan said. "Ever wondered what lay outside of these walls? Vast places unknown to you, just waiting to be uncovered?"

"No," Fitch answered blankly.

"Well, that's just it for me," Dylan lied. "I felt like it was my calling and so I left-"

"I don't buy it," Fitch blurted. "If that's the reason, then why are the other sabers look like they're avoiding you?"

Dylan blenched. "Well… you see-"

"And who's that other tiger you brought along?" Fitch asked, looking at Dylan's eyes intently. "Please… just tell me already. I don't want my best friend to leave in a hurry without almost a saying a word ever again"

Dylan swallowed a ball of dead air as he had done with all the secrets he had before "When you're old enough, you'll understand," Dylan dodged as he tried walking past him and the conversation.

"I think I already I am, and I have an idea why," said Fitch, and Dylan was made to stop on his tracks. "You like that saber, don't you? You _like _like him"

"F-Fitch…" Dylan muttered, speechless at the moment.

"Adam, he called that guy Diego your 'mate' a while ago didn't he?" Fitch said, and Dylan averted his eyes knowing that his brother did say that. "Is it true?"

Dylan looked at him, and he breathed out heavily as the curtains had been lifted. "It is…" he said, though crushing as it was that he expected losing another friend because of it. He expected that he would suddenly start running off with an awful excuse, but that didn't really happened.

"Well, he does seem nice," Fitch mentioned, "A bit grouchy though, but still nice," after what Fitch had said, all the anxiety Dylan had started were suddenly being held back.

"Wait… Fitch, are you saying – you don't mind the whole _gay_ thing?" Dylan asked.

"I don't really see what' so bothersome to other people about it," Fitch replied. "Fact is it's like you never really changed. It's just the way people looked at you that's changed"

"So, you're okay with it?" Dylan continued to ask.

"Of course I am! I don't even see what's not okay with it" Fitch answered cheerfully. "Though Adam may be the one who took me under his wing, you're the closest thing I've got to a family!"

Dylan felt relieved. He was able to keep another friend, even with the fact that he was homosexual. He was glad. He never really realized how close he was to Fitch. He never realized that there was someone who regarded him as family, especially in a way he never expected.

"So?" Fitch inquired, "Tell me about him!"

Dylan related to him stories of how he met him, skipping a few details that weren't proper for a child's ears. He related to him every thought and emotion. Now he wondered how such a young cub like Fitch was able to be so mature. Perhaps he was just too innocent to know, but no innocent child would've known about homos; or perhaps because Fitch was simply a special case. He didn't have the luxury of parents, but parents wouldn't define you as a person. Maybe because when people really find out who you are, those who stick with you till the end were your real family and friends, and not mention those who would stick with you afterwards.

Dark clouds encompassed across the vast sky, and it was no surprise when the pitter-patter of falling rain occurred a little while afterwards. Fitch and Dylan were back at the cave by then. The little cub held his little paw out near the edge of the cave where only little drops of water descended unto the floor. Once the small droplet of precipitate started to fall, Fitch would playfully pull his paws back to avoid it, and would once again repeat the little game he made for himself. Dylan glanced at him, and no matter how mature he thought he was, he was still a kid. Diego walked towards him to sit beside comfortably by him.

Dylan nuzzled him. "How was your little chat with my brother?" he asked. "What did he ask?"

"Oh… it was okay, I guess" Diego replied. "Just a few things about how you were doing and if I really could keep you happy. Guess he's just overprotective"

"Yeah," Dylan chuckled, "He's like that"

Adam entered the cave drenched from the rain. He shook it for a while before approaching the two. "Dad… says he isn't ready to see you yet," he said, pausing after every few syllables.

Dylan widened his eyes a bit before looking down in disappointment. "Yeah, I… kinda expected that," he frowned.

"But he did say he wanted to see you," Adam mentioned. "Just… not now"

Dylan stayed silent for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. "Maybe I shouldn't have come back"

"I'm not lying!" Adam said, "He really does want to see you"

"Then how long is he going to let me wait?" Dylan blurted angrily. "When he can't finally breathe?"

"Dylan, please. Give him a chance-"

"Oh, the same chance he gave me?" Dylan interrupted. An old forgotten bitterness inside him was stirring wildly again.

"Dylan, come on," Diego cut in. "I've known you for a while now, and I know you're not like this. Just give him the benefit of the doubt, okay? I'm sure we can work something out"

Dylan calmed down. "I hope so"

Adam sighed. "Tomorrow. I'll get him to talk to you no matter what it takes" he said. "I've got to go… I'm supposed to meet someone"

"Who?" Dylan asked.

"Amanda," Fitch cooed. "His _girl_friend"

"Oh…" Dylan said surprisingly. "You… never told me about her"

"Heh, you never let me get the chance to," Adam replied briefly. "Well, gotta get going then. See you later." And with that, his older brother wandered off into the rain.

"They have some sort of date?" Diego asked Fitch. A droplet of water finally fell down on the cub's paw when he was caught off guard. He shook his paw around as he finally got fed up with his little game.

"She's… pregnant," Fitch answered. "They've been together for over a year now."

"Wow," said Diego. "Guess your brother has a life too huh?"

"Yeah…" Dylan replied. His brother seemed to have so many things to take care of, and right now he seemed to be nothing but a burden. Next pack leader, future father, so many things and yet still his older brother. Dylan felt guilty for not being thankful enough.

Diego cuddled Dylan as he had sensed him to be a bit frantic. Dylan cuddled him back, but Diego stopped as he noticed the young cub with them.

"It's okay," Dylan mentioned. "He knows, and he's okay with it"

"Awww... and here I was thinking we could do some activity together," Diego grinned.

"We could do it in the rain," Dylan said. "An intriguing idea, don't you think?"

"Iick, I can hear you," Fitch said, covering his ears with his paws as they laughed.

A few hours, the rain had stopped. The sky had cleared. The clouds had moved on, but along with it the sun went with them. Diego stood up, stretched his legs until two distinct popping sounds occurred, and urged his mate to stand up as well.

"Let's take a walk," Diego said enthusiastically.

Dylan jittered, "Ah- uhm… are you sure? Cause, you know-"

"Come on, it's good for you," Diego tried to say convincingly.

"It's not that, it's just… I don't feel comfortable with the others watching us," Dylan said "Maybe some other sabers might see us together and… well-"

"That's their problem if they don't want to see us together, then they should just close their eyes," Diego replied, "Trust me," Dylan sunk deep inside Diego's hazel eyes before letting a warm breath out of his mouth and standing up.

"…Alright," he said nervously, but without a doubt trusted Diego.

The two sabers exited the large cave while Fitch stayed behind to do other things. Fitch had probably seen Amanda and Adam together like this, so he could easily analyze what was going on and knew not to be a drag. Dylan shuddered nervously as he walked beside Diego, taking a few glances at some other sabers only to find them staring at them and quickly averting their eyes. Those that didn't only made him more nervous.

Diego noticed it as well, and could see Dylan a bit disturbed by the fact. Dylan was already doing his best to ignore the silent tried to calm him down, leaning a bit towards him. When Dylan felt his warm gentle caress, he felt a bit more comfortable like within a thin soft blanket.

But then what Dylan didn't expect was actual sabers that confronted them, and not in the way he'd expected.

"Hahaha! Look who's here guys," jeered one of the three fellows at Diego. "And look who's he's with! It's the gay guy everyone's talking about"

Diego walked in front of Dylan. "Oscar? What are you doing here?"

"Wow, never knew you'd turn out to be so mellow after what you did to our leader Diego," Zeke cut in. "Or maybe you really were like a marshmallow?" The three laughed at him.

"I've never seen these guys in our pack before. Diego, do you know them?" Dylan asked.

"Pretty much," Diego answered with a hint of disdain.

Problems arised not only for Dylan, but for Diego as well.


	5. Confrontations and Exceptions

_A/n: Sorry I'm not updating quite fast. Things are pretty complicated for me back home. But I still hope you enjoy this chapter. I DO NOT OWN ICE AGE_

* * *

"Back off," Diego scowled, his eyes flaring in the sunset. The confrontation of long known compatriots was destined to happen.

"Woah woah, easy now, we didn't mean to upset your feelings _girl_," said Oscar as the three continued to taunt at him.

"Hmph, didn't know you'd all be wimp enough to join another pack," Diego taunted back.

"Haha! Well, what do you know," scoffed Zeke, "He still hasn't lost that cold-heart of his"

"Yeah, and that cold _stare _of his," said Lenny, noticing his eyes leering at them.

"Diego, we should probably just go," whimpered Dylan but Diego's temper got the best of him.

"I'm giving you one last chance," Diego grimaced. "Either back off now, or I'm gonna make you regret ever saying all those things"

Oscar laughed. "You're a real bigmouth just because you killed our Soto. But there's about three of us here and, well," Oscar chuckled before continuing, "around -ahem- half a man in front of us"

Diego had had enough of it and leaped towards him, tackling him down the ground. Oscar pushed him off and the two started clawing and biting at each other.

"Diego!" Dylan shouted. He was about to run towards him when the other two blocked his way.

"Look at that faggot go!" Lenny laughed. The two amused themselves as they watched Oscar and Diego fight against each other. Oscar pushed Diego, making him stumble and slide to the ground. But Diego simply rose back up on his paws and tackled him back, making him tumble even more painfully than him. Zeke could see that Oscar was losing.

"He-hey, don't you think we should help him out?" Zeke jittered.

Diego was pummeling Oscar. Back then, Oscar always lost to fights against Diego. He always had a certain jealously and grudge towards him. But even after all these times, he still couldn't beat Diego. Diego wrestled Oscar and threw him to the ground. His foe was obviously already limping, but still tried to get up. Lenny and Zeke were about to give him a paw when suddenly someone came up.

"Enough!" Adam roared. "Back to your dens! Make such a ruckus again, and you could kiss your butt goodbye"

"You… you just got lucky. I-I'll get you. I'll get you soon," Oscar panted heavily as Lenny and Zeke helped him walk away. Adam watched them out as they leave. He was limping, and was in much worse condition than Diego.

Dylan ran towards him, leaning close to help him stand up. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, mmmff, I'm fine," Diego replied with a grunt.

"You handled yourself pretty fine there," Adam complimented. Dylan just gave him an odd stare, and he raised his eyebrow. "What? He did."

Dylan sighed. He noticed red marks on Diego's shoulder. He patted on it, and Diego flinched. "You're hurt." Dylan went ahead and licked the wounds clean. It made the pain sting a bit and left a bad taste in Dylan's mouth, but the he knew it would heal quicker this way.

"Sorry about this. None if this will ever happen again, I promise," Adam apologized.

"It's not your fault. Those guys –unf- had it coming to them," Diego said.

"Adam!" a voice called out. Adam turned and knew who it was.

"Oooh, its Amanda. I –uh- gotta go. See you all back at the den." He looked around some more to see if there were anyone else who was around. And with that he left the two alone.

Dylan finished licking Diego's wounds and checked if there was still some blood flowing. The two then silently made their way back to the den. But Dylan couldn't help but feel uneasy. This was the first time anyone directly confronted them because of his sexual orientation, and this was the first time anyone actually planned the hurt him. On their walk back Dylan couldn't help but let the words out.

"Why did you have do that?" he asked. "You didn't have to fight them"

Diego looked towards him. "Why shouldn't I. Those guys were practically jerks, and they were in the way."

"Yeah, but…" Dylan paused for a bit, then sucked in a breath and let it out. "We… could have just left them alone and ignored them"

"What good would that would've done?" Diego asked. "They'd just kept insulting us"

"I know, but even after what you've done they still will." Dylan looked down and frowned a bit. "Its just he way things are for people like me."

"People like _you_? There's nothing different about you Dylan," Diego said. "And besides, I'm not sure about how you do it here, but what we did back home is pretty gay, so what does that make _me_? I'm in the same boat as you are."

Dylan thought of home again. Where he belonged to. He had already accepted the herd as his one true home. But that still didn't leave the anxieties he felt for his pack. It stuck on him like an annoying leech. The only reason Diego was in the same boat as him was because of him, so he took all the blame towards himself. "Look, there's… there's just nothing I could do about it. I'll get shunned every turn I make. I understand that. And… all I could do is respect it"

"That's no way to live a life!" Diego said in a bit of an angry tone. "If you don't try to fight for who you are, you'll never be acknowledged as a person"

Dylan kept himself silent for the remainder of their walk. Fitch was happily eating a piece of deer, smiling excitedly as he let himself indulge in the round piece of meat. But seeing the two come in with Diego having a few wounds made him drop it and rush towards them.

"What happened?" Fitch asked worriedly.

"Some jerks dared try to harm this tiger, but I easily fought them off," Diego boasted.

Fitch raised an eyebrow, seeing the wounds around his body. "Doesn't look like it"

Diego left himself in pause of great embarrassment. As soon as they reached the cave, Dylan left Diego's side and went towards the back. Dylan slumped down towards a mattress of buffalo fur skin. Diego wanted to go towards him, but right now he figured he wanted some time alone for himself.

The gay saber-tooth couldn't help but sulk. He remembered the last days he spent before being kicked out of the pack; the days after he admitted who he really was.

How did it all happen? What exactly made me confess who I was? Dylan thought. Before he confessed himself to be gay, he always had a certain admiration for the male body; its movement, its construction, and even its musk. And when there were times he was invited to peek at the females taking baths, he reflexively turns them down. The only conclusion he could gather from being attracted to the male body and wasn't attracted to the female form was that he was gay.

And then there were the bars that crushed him inside out, the feeling of being the only one who had the same secret as him. And, maybe…. just maybe… there was someone else out there who was gay, just like him; someone facing the same secret as he was. So when he told everyone, it was pretty awkward. As if nothing had happened. But the days after were… a lot different. It was nothing he had ever expected. He thought things would be a lot more innocent, but then people started avoiding him. People started asking each other if there was something wrong with him. It grew worse as the days passed. But the one that was affected the most was his dad.

Things became all too confusing, and people started to riot. Dylan's dad, in an attempt to maintain the order in the pack, told him "You don't belong here"

Dylan could hear the words reverberate in his ears, and he couldn't help let a single tear drop fall. Hearing his own father say it broke his heart. It tore him apart, and then the next moments later he realized he was running.

Outside of the cave, above its protruding mouth were Fitch and Diego. Fitch brought him here so he could see the wounds better. He put a poultice made from a few leaves he picked up in a hurry and placed it on the wounds. Diego felt the searing pain course through his body. If he had flat teeth he would have bitten his tongue in order to restrain from causing yips.

"Ugh, hold still," Fitch said as the older saber-tooth in front of him was already trying stop himself from moving too much. A green liquid stayed on the where he rubbed the poultice.

"Aah! What exactly are you putting?" asked Diego, still flinching as the pain continued to sting and pierce.

"It's an herbal remedy, something that'll help make the wounds heal faster," Fitch answered. "Dylan used these on me, see?" He showed to him the scars around his body.

"These aren't going to turn out like, are they?" Diego worrying that his wounds would turn out to looks like sticks attached to his skin.

"No, I don't think so. They're not that bad," said Fitch as he patted the medicine on top of the last wound, making Diego shake for the last time. "And for the record, I took it better than you"

Diego was relieved it was over. He continued to lie down on the rocks as he watched the serene beauty of the night around him. The small scar-clad cub stayed with him; cleaning up some of the mess he made and discarded them in random places. He took this chance away from Dylan to ask something personal of him. "Hey, Fitch, right?" Diego said. "Do you know anything about how Dylan got kicked out?"

"Not much really," Fitch replied. "All I know was that his dad himself told him to go away"

"That so?" Diego stood up more attentively. "Do you know of any reason why he's like this right now?"

"Well, I'm not sure, but I think it has something to do with him being gay and all and how people are treating him," Fitch said. The small cub started playing with some pebbles on the ground, twirling it around with his paw.

Diego sighed. "I just don't get it. Why can't people see through that thick head of theirs? There– there is much that these people don't see"

"I know about that too. Since he came back, he doesn't look like he's changed at all. It's just that when I look around, I see these prying eyes all around him." Fitch grasped with his paw a moderate-sized stone and threw it in the barren rocky plain in front of them. Dylan heard it tap and hit the ground. He came silently towards the mouth of the cave, but doesn't quite go out.

"I don't care if I break everyone bone in my body. They're wounds that'll heal in time. So long as Dylan doesn't get hurt…" Diego said. The saber in the cave overheard him, and his frown slightly panned into a smile.

"All these people, they just have no idea what they're talking about. I just can't believe them," Fitch said in a low angry tone.

Diego nodded. "I can't believe these people either. I was right to come along. They're all just missing out on this great person I've met, and they just can't let themselves see this amazing person. I once thought so too, you know. I first thought he was suddenly this different person when he admitted his feelings toward me. And you know what? When I actually thought about it, he wasn't. He was still that annoying little saber that liked to laugh and joke around. And, well, that was when I admitted to myself that I sort of fell for him"

Fitch smiled, and almost chuckled. "I could see why he likes you"

Diego chortled. "You're a pretty amazing kid too, you know. Unlike these other sabers, you actually see whats inside him too. And they're more than twice your age"

"I'm just smarted than most of them," Fitch joked. Dylan almost laughed loud enough to reveal he was eavesdropping on them. "guess I know what its like to be judged beforehand, you know. I mean, look at me." He said, pointing towards the scars all over his body. "I keep hearing them all say 'poor this' and 'poor that', and they don't even realize how much I really did went through. I was a big victim in that human raid, I lost my parents... and I was stripped of the only real friend I had.

Dylan understood more about Fitch now. He helped the cub more than he thought. He thought that all he did was mend the wounds and hope he got better, but he did more than that. He even gave him a friend. He felt a lot better now. It was nice, really. To hear that the things they would honestly say about him were kind and thoughtful.

Diego smiled. "You remind me of some baby who's probably around your age by now," he said.

"Who?" asked Fitch when suddenly someone started calling out towards them.

"Guys! Guys I've got something to tell you!" Adam shouted excitedly as he ran towards their cave. Diego went down slowly along with Fitch. When they were down Dylan came out of the cave as well so it wouldn't be obvious he was at the mouth of the cave all along.

"What is it?" Dylan asked.

"It's dad. He wants to see you," Adam said holding back his enthusiastic tone. "Tonight"

"Tonight?" Fitch asked then glanced towards the dark blue sky lit up by stars. "As in, right now?"

Adam flashed his moonlit eyes and looked towards him with a grin. "Yes."

Fitch turned towards Dylan with a glowing smile. And here Dylan was once again, the tension of confronting his own emotions. He was deathly afraid of facing him. But he just hoped that things would work out fine.


	6. Real Questions Answered

_A/N: It was 3 AM, and I woke up for some reason and couldn't sleep. So, I went on my computer and after a few random youtube videos, I remembered this. :3 Don't ask how._

* * *

Adam led his brother to the alpha's cave. Dylan gazed upon it. It was centered between all the caves in the rocky terrain. It was fairly large and elevated above the ground a few feet with stone steps leading up to it. There was a soft orange light that kindled the hallow cavern.

The saber's legs wobbled. No matter how determined or brave you would have been, at the end where its right in front of you a massive snowstorm just hits right in your face. Dylan hesitated as he climbed up the steps. A gentle wave of warmth crept up from beneath him, and he looked down to see Fitch coming out from the space underneath, smiling at him. A similar kind of warmth crawled up his fur beside him. He glanced to his right to see Diego. Dylan nuzzled him for a bit before walking side by side with the two.

Inside it was an eerie feel of nostalgia, the most he had ever felt since being here. Again, a wave of anxiety brushed on him but he tried to shake it off. Every step he had taken seemed to make the distance stretch farther.

At mouth itself, he could catch a glimpse of father, resting on a mat of caribou fur. A lean withered figure surrounded by old friends. Adam went a stride ahead of him and sat at the entrance.

"He's waiting for you," he said, and with a cold hint of despair in his tone.

As Dylan and Diego continued to walk further while Adam picked up Fitch with a single paw.

"Urf! Hey!" Fitch clamored as he waved his claws in the air.

"Sorry fella. No can do. This is pack business" Adam said.

"But I wanna-" Fitch protested before catching Adam's look at him. "…fine."

The two waited at the entrance, sitting patiently as they had the pair continue. Diego walked closely by Dylan to continue encouraging his spirit. But Dylan knew all too well that there was no turning back.

"At least you were able to continue your legacy, Samuel," said an aged saber-tooth.

"It has been an honor, serving you as pack leader," said another as each continued to say their graceful farewells.

They heard the two incoming and quickly turned around. When Samuel then caught sight of his long lost son, he immediately said without a moment's hesitation, "Leave us"

The elders did so at once. Dylan caught glance at their stares towards him. But they weren't what he expected. They were soft. Gentle. Caring. Perhaps, not all in this world were judgmental.

After so long, Dylan has finally seen his father. He looked frail, his fur had lost most of its color, and his eyes were heavy and seemed harder to lift than his legs. After all his hate, and all his spite, after seeing his father again he went back to the little cub that looked up to him. Samuel tried to get up as much as he could, but could only do as much as raise his neck higher.

The two sat down on the cold stone floor. Dylan and his father were simply sharing odd stares at each other. The awkward silence was then broken by a sudden cackle.

"Hahaha, you'd think that being Alpha, you'd die in hunt or defending your pack," Samuel chortled. "But to go like this." He ended it with a scoff, and it broke the tension a bit.

Diego reflected on his life before, and things in the past couldn't stop him from saying what he could say, "Trust me sir. It could have been worse."

Samuels's gray eyes shined towards Diego. "Really now?" he asked. He scratched his furry chin as he inspected the unfamiliar face before him. "I take it that you're the one taking care of my son?"

"Yes, sir," Diego replied. Dylan wanted to say something, but something was caught in his throat for some reason.

"Oh, no need to be so formal. I'm just a tired ol' bat, and I'm going to die sooner or later anyway," he said in a low tenor voice.

"D-dad…" Dylan muttered in a sad tone, as if scolding him for that fearful idea

Samuel brightened up a smile. "At least, you still call me dad-" he said with a faint tone, suddenly realizing the direness of his current condition. The lively mask he put on lifted off the moment his coarse breathing led him to cough violently.

"Dad!" cried Dylan as he wanted to approach in hospitality. Seeing him in his dying moments, he couldn't even think of being angry at him.

His father put a paw up in the air, stopping him in motion. He continued to cough dryly, lying down a bit. After a few moments, he stopped. He kept his lungs about him, being able to breathe normally again.

"I suppose… you'd want some answers," he chuckled, trying to wear the fake smile saying everything was going to be okay. Dylan cringed, and simply nodded. He wasn't sure anymore if he should ask him of what had been on his mind all along. Samuel laid down a gentle sigh. "You're just like your mother," he said.

Dylan then thought there might be better things to ask. Things that he wanted to know as much as well. "Dad…" He had never asked him this either, and would be just as good as his real question. "Can you… ummm… could you tell me about mom?" Dylan asked.

Samuel gave him an odd glance, and a slight chuckle. "Your mom," he began, "was the most beautiful saber in the pack back in my days. All of the sabers wanted her. Now, getting her was way more difficult than competing for Alpha."

"Wait," paused Diego. "I thought the position of Alpha was passed down by kin" he asked.

"It is, but back then the pack Alpha didn't have kin that could take over. We had this rite where we compete for it," he answered.

Dylan turned towards Diego. "Even I didn't know that"

The old Alpha's children had left in search for their own pack. One I think was known successful… I don't remember his name, but I do remember him having a son. Soto, was his name?" Samuel said.

"Soto?" he blurted in astonishment.

"Yes, I do believe I'm not mistaken," Samuel answered. "Now, where was I – oh yes. It was a spring night, and the moment I saw the moonlight dance around her I knew that I had fallen in love. So, at around midnight I asked her out and after a while we started fooling around-"

"Uhmm, dad? I don't that's what I asked in particular," Dylan blurted in a bit of disgust.

"Hmm? But don't you want to know how I met your mother?" his father asked.

"I didn't know it would be that… gross. I was trying to ask what mom _looked_ like," Dylan said. "I… can't remember much anymore."

Samuel chuckled a bit. "Like I said, she was the most beautiful tiger I had ever seen in my life. She had beautiful brown eyes like you and your brother's. But only you had-" Samuel cut to a short pause of suspense, leaving Dylan in long drag of anticipation. "-her nose," he said, pressing a finger on his son's nose.

Dylan raised an eye brow, and Samuel only laughed heartily. "And also, her heart" he said, dragging his finger from Dylan's nose to his chest. Dylan looked down and placed his paw over his father's "I'm not sure how she looked like to you than she did to me, but perhaps the only thing I can tell you is that she was also the most beautiful mother I had ever seen. She was just… beautiful"

He wondered why his father was lost in only describing her as beautiful; and nothing more, but also nothing less. Dylan took the word a little more seriously. He clenched his father's paw tighter towards him.

"But…" Samuel said as he gently pulled his paw away. "That's not what you really came to ask, didn't you?"

The gay saber tooth rest his head down, and Diego only continued to listen attentively. "You came to ask, 'Why did I kick you out of the pack?'."

Dylan simply stayed silent. But he knew in his heart, even in Diego's, that he wanted to know the answer.

Samuel sucked in a breath, and let it out in a short puff. "The entire pack was restless about the issue. Others asking if you had some sort of disease, others ranting about the welfare of their own children. I all told them that there was nothing wrong with my son. That all these problems were all in their heads." Then, the old saber coughed again, but only for a few short moments, but still realizing that he did not have much time any more. "But they wouldn't listen. I started overhearing them, plotting and planning to do something about you, talking spite of you. And then I saw you out in the distance, being sad and upset."

Dylan clutched his claws on the ground as his father continued. "I thought to myself, 'Was this the place I wanted my son to live the rest of his life in?'." Samuel took a long deep sigh. "I knew that what you needed then was a hand, someone to tell you that everything was going to be alright. But, even though I knew that you would hate me for the rest of your life, I decided what I needed to do for you to have a better life."

Diego slowly began to understand the sad tale. "I kicked you out of the pack, in hopes that out there you could find another family. People that wouldn't treat you like this, somewhere that you could truly call a home. So that you could find love, even if you would hate me up till now"

"Th-that's not it!" Dylan cried, shedding a tear down his face. "I'm not mad. E-ever since being here, I've known. I've known why you did it. What I _really_ wanted to ask you was..." He tried not to choke on the tears and muster the words out. "Did you… really love me?"

Then, even his chuckling father started to cry. "Of course. Of course I do!" he said, and with all his strength went towards his son and hugged him.

"I love you dad," Dylan cried as he hugged his father back. All the hate he had in coming here, didn't seem to exist anymore.

"I've loved you my whole life, since you were born. And I always have, and always will," Samuel said. With a fading tone, his paw began to lose feel. It drifted from his son's back as it arched down towards the floor, limp and lifeless.

"D-dad?" Dylan muttered. He shook his father, who in his tranquil state still wore a smile. "Dad, wa-wake up," he whimpered.

"A-adam! Adam!" Diego called out.

Adam looked towards them, and to his horror had seen the final lap of the inevitable. "Fitch, call the elders."

"O-okay…" the little cub replied as he went off into the distance.

"Dad! Dad!" shouted Adam as he ran towards his father.

"Dad, please, wake up!" cried Dylan, as tears continued to roll down his cheeks. "Dad!"

Diego grabbed Dylan away and hugged. "Dad! Dad…" Dylan continued to cry before crying on Diego's chest. Diego hushed him down as the unfortunate turn of events had finally come. Diego looked towards Samuel's soulless body, and in his heart he could only thank him.

That night, the pack alpha had spirited away without regret. Diego took Dylan back to the cave where he continued to cry until his sleep. Fitch came a few minutes after that, and joined his company in comforting him. A single bead rolled down his face, for the little cub could sympathize how much hurt he could feel as he had felt it before, and the only right thing he could do was return the favor when Dylan was there for him. As the two drowned in slumber. Diego looked towards the sky, and in starlit bliss he talked to the spirit of his mate's father.

_Thank you Samuel_, he thought_, if you didn't bring your son to me, I'd never know what I would be doing in my life. Thank you, and goodbye. I'll take care of Dylan, you can count on that…_

And before his tired eyes would make him rest, he had one last thing on his mind.

_Please... watch over us._


	7. Love Foreverlasting

_A/N: This is the last of what I'll write about Diego/Dylan. Hope you all enjoyed it, and thanks for sticking with Dylan to the end. (P.S. I shifted to first-person around the second half of the story)_

* * *

The dawn broke with the entire pack mourning the loss of their leader. There was a place nearby known as the Great Lake. A large waterfall that arched around the entire half of a lake nested a few miles away from the pack camp. On the banks grew purple water lilies that blossomed untouched by any existence. There, they lay the lifeless husk of the alpha on a barren half of a tree trunk. The elders pushed it closer towards the waters as ripples of thoughts and memories grew thick then thinner with each passing moment.

Today was not a happy day. No, not happy at all. The gentle breeze that nestled gently on the boat pushed it towards the giant waterfalls that sparkled elegantly against the sun. And, in the blink of an eye, the raft disappears in mist of water. The elders had believed that it would carry the dead towards paradise. A special Eden existing only for those honorable enough to have been called alpha, where they send the bodies of their alphas through the waterfalls as they are cleansed to be able to drift into heaven.

Diego pondered upon this belief and reflected upon his past. Soto might not have been the gentlest of leaders, but Diego could sturdily believe in his respect and admiration towards him. And in catching a glimpse of Zeke and the others almost dropping a tear, he could tell they were thinking the same thing.

The mass of saber-tooth tigers started to drip away, one by one. Adam found himself within the comfort of Amanda, his pregnant betrothed. Dylan, however, kept within solitude of himself as he reveled in depression. Diego passed by the unfamiliar faces of sabers leaving the lake as he walked towards his mate.

In the brush of wind, Dylan could tell that he was right behind him without turning his head. "All this time, I've hated him for what he did," Dylan said. "I hated him for not standing beside me in all this"

"But you knew why he did it, don't you?" Diego asked, sitting beside him near the banks of the Great Lake.

"I do. I always have," said Dylan before beginning to cry again. He put a paw over his eyes, being tired of crying as well. "But, still… I… I hated him. I feel like such a horrible person."

"But you still loved your dad right?" said Diego, "Even with all that hate." And almost immediately, Dylan had stopped crying.

Diego turned his hazel-colored eyes and burrowed his stare into Dylan's watery brown eyes. "That's how much of an amazing person you are Dylan. You've got all that love in you that even hate can't stop you from giving it. And all the people that just give you a blind eye, it's their loss."

Diego then began to nuzzle his mate. "That's the kind of person… I fell in love with," he smiled. Dylan nuzzled him back affectionately, calming down a bit as he dried his tears. There were plenty of tigers still around them, among them were even Diego's old pack. But they didn't care. They simply closed their eyes so that the only world that existed was the one where they could feel by touch.

"Yuck! Get a cave!" said Fitch. Still as a child, he took the symbol of affection akin to disgust, but not because they were both males but simply because of the affection itself.

Dylan chortled. "Heh. Still just a kid."

"Kinda surprises me with the way he acts though," Diego mentioned.

Adam overheard the chatter of familiar voices and went towards them with his mate.  
"Guys," he called out towards them to catch their attention. "I want to introduce you to Amanda, my fiancé"

"You've grown, Dylan," Amanda smiled, revealing the rather bulbous belly underneath her. "You look a little different since the last time I saw you"

"Aheh, well, umm, you look a little different since last time too," Dylan jittered. With her cheerful display he already liked her, and approved of being his brother's mate. He then realized the situation built around them. An anxious idea popped into his head, but went for it anyways.

"Amanda, I'd like you to meet Diego," he said, and with an uplifting voice of pride the next words came out a little louder, "He's my mate."

Diego was entirely surprised when he said this. Before coming here, Dylan had been nervous about what they were, and now he seemed to have no problem showing it in public. Amanda giggled. "Nice too meet you Diego," she said.

"Err, nice to meet you too," said Diego as he tried to lift a smile, though unknowingly there was an apparent blush on his face. Fitch spotted it and just blurted it out.

"Why are you blushing?" asked the scar-clad cub. Diego then realized his face was feeling a little warmer than usual and tried to hide it.

"I-I'm not blushing!" Diego retorted. Up to the tip of his ears it was reddish.

Dylan went and inspected his face. "Hey, you _are_ blushing. I've never seen you blush before," he said. "That's kind of cute"

"Sh-shut up!" Diego retaliated. But, deep inside him, he was really happy that Dylan finally had no problem with them being a couple.

The crew laughed joyfully, letting the tension from the events just pull away. The minutes passed with simple small talk and laughter. Adam looked towards the pristine water of the lake. With all things past, he then looked towards the future.

"Hey, little bro," said Adam. Dylan stopped from laughing as he pulled Fitch away from his ears as his older brother caught his attention with a serious tone. "So, with everything aside, what will you do now?" he asked.

Dylan seemed unsure. Not because of ultimatums at the end of a decision, but at the moment he was in right now, he didn't want it to end.

"You know, he could always stay here," said Adam. "I… overheard what dad said last night and it got me thinking. Maybe we've been living under a cave for a while, and we had to be more open to these things. With me as pack alpha, I'm sure things will turn out for the better."

Dylan smiled at the encouragement, but he knew what was right all along. "I appreciate the offer, but… you know I can't stay. And you shouldn't just do whatever is on your mind. I don't want you to go through what dad had to for me. Besides-" Dylan said as he put a paw over Diego's. "I've got a herd to go back to. They're probably missing us a lot by now."

Adam knew it was a long shot, but as long as his brother was happy, it was good enough for him. "Well… then I hope you find everything you're looking for."

Diego's eyes danced within his gaze, and all Dylan could do was smile. "I think I already have."

His older brother smiled along. It had been so long since he'd seen his younger brother smile so tenderly.

"W-wait, you're leaving?" Fitch asked as he walked up from behind.

Dylan turned to see the scar-clad cub. "Fitch…" he muttered.

"Then I'm coming with you!" Fitch said surprisingly as he charged and hugged Dylan's leg. "No way I'm gonna lose my best friend again. You're the closest thing I have to a family!"

Dylan was at a loss of words, but luckily a larger-built saber had been there to save the day. "You are one annoying brat, you know that?" said Diego as he picked Fitch off with a single paw, lifting him off of his mate's front leg.

"B-but!" Fitch clamored before Diego cut him off.

"You're still just a kid, you've got your whole life ahead of you," said Diego as he rubbed Fitch's head. "And, besides, you already have a family here," he said as he pointed towards Adam and Amanda.

The couple only glanced a smile to each other without needing an actually agreement. "Well, we might need an extra set of paws to handle our kids," said Adam.

Fitch felt happy inside about it, but he still couldn't feel sad about his best friend leaving him. He turned towards Dylan and the two gave each other a long lasting hug.

"You'd better come and visit," said Fitch, teary eyed for the inevitable departure.

"Heh, definitely," Dylan replied. "I'm gonna miss ya."

And, with that, everyone had said their goodbyes. Diego had chosen to just leave the remainders of his old pack alone. Some things were just better off being left behind. He had better things in front of him now than before.

_[Background music: Feels Like Today by Rascal Flatts]_

The journey home seemed as if it had already been walked. To Dylan, well… ahem– to me, it seemed like whatever journey I had set off for had been finished. All that was left was the destination. But, to be honest, it felt like the destination had been right beside me all along.

_I woke up this morning_

Home felt closer as my paws crunched on the nostalgic white carpet. As I come up the snowy hill with my beloved mate, we came to surprise strange group of animals, suddenly running towards us in greeting.

_With this feeling inside me that I can't explain_

"Guys!" Manny shouted. "You're back!" He and Ellie stampeded towards us and lifted us between their trunks.

_Like a weight that I've carried, been carried away_

"W-we're back!" Diego muffled in a pained yet joyous tone.

_Away_

"We missed you sooooooooo much!" Ellie cooed as she emphasized the word with a tighter squeeze.

_But I know something is coming_

The moment they put us down, out came from beneath was a miniature display of the pair. "Welcome hooome!" Peaches cooed as she waved her small trunk.

_I don't know what it is_

"Dylan! Diego!" shouted a sloth as he sluggishly ran towards us, padding his feet through the snow. Halfway through he had to stop to catch his breath though.

_But I know it's amazing, can save me_

"Cowabunga!" cried two possums that slid through Ellie's tusks, leaping into the air and landing on our heads.

_My time is coming I'll find _

"Hey Dylan!" greeted Eddie. "Now that you're here, perhaps you'd like to hear the plans of our new prank"

_My way out_

"And with Diego here," Crash whispered. "We finally have someone new to prank at"

_Of this longest drought_

"I heard that," Diego mentioned.

I slowly raised a grin. "Keep talking" I intrigued.

_And it feels like today I know_

Sid finally got to us gasping for air, and in the moment he got within arm's reach, Diego grabbed him and noogied him harder than he had ever done before.

"I missed you too, buddy," said Diego, without having the need to hear what Sid had to say.

_It feels like today I'm sure_

"So, Diego. How was your trip?" asked Manny.

This all seems so crazy. It feels incredibly surreal. Me; who got kicked out of my pack because I admitted to them that I was gay.

_It's the one thing that's missing_

"Hmm? Oh, it was okay. Saw a few familiar faces, nothing much," Diego answered.

Found the weirdest herd in one of the strangest places; an odd group of animals with a dashing saber, serious and cool-headed yet kind and light-hearted.

_The one thing I'm wishing_

And out of the sudden I fell in love with him, regardless of all the constraints I had to pull myself away. But in the end, love gave in, both for me and him.

"Did you-" Crash sneaked towards him. "Saw anyone else you might have _liked_ in particular?"

_The last sacred blessing and, hey_

My life is a complete tornado of surprises, whirling around with endless twists of fate, and there's bound to be more in the end.

Diego glanced up in thought. "Yeah, you could say that."

I stopped in my tracks. I turned towards him to see if he was serious. "R-really?" I asked, tensing up.

There was an awkward pause of silence before he made his reply. "Yup," he said as he walked towards me. He then licked my muzzle. "Just, _might_. I don't think I'll ever see in them what I saw in you."

And with a flash of his hazel-colored eyes with his warm gentle smile, I felt relaxed. I didn't know why I felt so tense in the first place. Everyone didn't seem to mind what we were doing. In fact, it felt like there was nothing else wrong when we did it, other than the fact that we were showing affection in public.

_It feels like today (Feels like. Feels like. You're life changing)_

"Oh, get a cave!" shouted Eddie at us.

"You guys are making a scene," Ellie said.

_Feels like today. (Feels like. Feels like. You're life changing)_

"Diego, I'm starting to think _you're_ the one who talked him into this," Manny said.

"Hey! Not true," Diego denied.

_It's the one thing that's missing_

"Poor Dylan. What other things might he have done to him!" Crash woed mockingly.

"Knock it off you guys," I said before slyly changing the tone of my voice. "You're going to make him blush again."

_The last sacred blessing and hey_

"Again?" everyone shouted in bewilderment. Diego felt an odd stare from everyone. He never blushed before in his entire life. I simply winked back and started to run. Diego immediately began to chase me. I laughed as I ran away from him, although knowing he was faster than me. But I didn't really expect him to catch me that easily. We immediately rolled through the snow before he pinned me down.

_It feels like today (Feels like. Feels like. You're life changing)_

"Don't think you can get away from me," Diego said, staring at me eye-to-eye.

"Like I can," I replied with a smile, "Like I ever will"

All the things I have in the past, bothers me to some extent. But with what I have now, I can't help but think of the future instead.

_Feels like today. (Feels like. Feels like.)_

With the herd a seemingly far distance away, Diego took the chance to share a kiss; a long deep passionate kiss. I wished the moment lasted forever. Even with our bare fangs it couldn't stop us. No… it wasn't difficult at all.

Being gay has all these rules that other people would build off around you, but I'm getting the hang of it now. There's a lot of people out there just like me, so I'm not alone. But the future is way too far for me to predict, so all I can do now-

_You're life changing_

Is to do my best in the present.

**_Fin_**

* * *

**_Thank you all for reading!_**


End file.
